Amedi
Our first stop was at the Bekhal Waterfalls. a picturesque stop on the Hamilton Road just outside Ruwanduz. The water cascades out of thecliff face.
The vies along the gorge are spectacular.
More views.
Next stop were the Geli Ali Watrfalls, another fine example...
....another view...
...but the area around it had been developed and ther were a lot of tourist spots that had nothing to do with the grndeur of the nature, but merely selling somethingother than nature to the populace...
...with amusements...
...and interesting things that would be fine elsewhere but not in an ara of outstanding natural beauty that should be a national park and not allow retail development to spoil the natural beauty.
There were some spectcular roas leading through th mountains with multiplr hairpin bends to negotiate to get across passes...
...another view...
...om our way to th Shanidur Cave, high on a mountain side.
A poor view as it obscures the mountians behind...
...but it is a big deep cave that may have been occupied for more than a 100,000 years
Ten skeletons were found which altered our perception of Neandethal society. Bodies were found laid to rest on flowers and adults had died in majority with earlier wounds that had been treated and healed, suggesting that medicinal knowledge may have been greater than previously anticipated.
The roof of the cave.
An inner chamber of the ain cave.
A view over the water from a restaurant...
...one of several that didn't have poor reviews but spent ages to serve us, and we had to have our meals as takeaways...and my fisf was burnt to a cinder.
More fabulous views...
...with some evidence of glaciation...
....until we reached Amedi, a city built on an isolated mesa, where people have lived for more than 5,000 years and it is claimed where the Three Wise Men came from...
...the internal side of the Mosul Gate....
....a view from the top of the gate....
...the track leadin up to the gate...
....the outer face of the gate....
...and the minaret of the mosque.
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